Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Jun 1993
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1993aj....105.2148d&link_type=abstract
Astronomical Journal (ISSN 0004-6256), vol. 105, no. 6, p. 2148-2157.
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
48
Globular Clusters, Mass Distribution, Milky Way Galaxy, Stellar Mass, Least Squares Method, Multivariate Statistical Analysis
Scientific paper
We analyze the dependence of stellar mass function slopes for a sample of 17 globular clusters on a variety of cluster parameters. The principal novelty of our approach is the use of appropriate multivariate statistical methods to disentangle the complex situation which is present in this problem: the slopes depend simultaneously on more than one variable, and many cluster parameters are mutually correlated. We find that the mass function slopes in the range M/M(solar) = 0.5-0.8 are largely determined by the position in the Galaxy and to a lesser extent by the cluster metallicity. Clusters closer to the Galactic center or plane have shallower mass function slopes. At a given distance to the Galactic center, clusters closer to the Galactic plane have shallower mass function slopes. At a given R(GC) and/or Z(GP), more metal-rich clusters have shallower mass function slopes. Thus, the monovariate correlations with the position or metallicity are both correct, but only partial, and in terms of slopes, biased descriptions of the situation. We present trivariate least-squares solutions where the mass function slopes can be predicted within the measurement accuracy. This relation can serve as a powerful observational constraint for theories of globular cluster formation and evolution, and it is one of the tightest correlations between globular cluster properties now known.
Capaccioli Massimo
Djorgovski Stanislav
Piotto Giampaolo
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